The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators provide a framework for integrating technology into teaching and learning. The standards are designed to help educators use technology effectively to enhance student learning and engagement. Some benefits of the ISTE Standards for Educators include:
- Professional development: The standards provide a roadmap for educators to develop their knowledge and skills in using technology to support student learning.
- Improved instruction: The standards offer guidance on how to use technology to support student-centered instruction and to personalize learning for individual students.
- Enhanced communication: The standards provide guidance on how to use technology to communicate and collaborate with students, colleagues, and parents.
- Increased student engagement: The standards offer guidance on how to use technology to engage students in active, meaningful, and relevant learning experiences.
- Greater student autonomy: The standards provide guidance on how to use technology to support student self-direction and self-expression.
- Improved student outcomes: The standards provide guidance on how to use technology to support student learning and to assess student progress.
In my Technology in the Classroom course, students demonstrate knowledge and competence of these standards using a Portfolio. I have them design their portfolios around the seven ISTE Standards for Educators. Students are free to choose the platform to host their portfolio websites, but most choose Google Sites or Wix. I explain Google Sites within the course in more detail. Students coming into the class with more technology experience might try several platforms before selecting the “perfect” fit. Beginning technology students are more comfortable using Google Sites as usually they are fairly familiar with the Google Suite. The biggest problem with hosting their website is in permissions to view and in remembering to publish their changes.
Here is my portfolio example:
https://sites.google.com/view/lori-walljasper/home
I stress organization and ease of finding things in the portfolio. It is my hope that students will continue to add to their portfolios as they continue their education and on into their teaching careers.
